FOOD AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

FSIS issues draft guidance for importing meat, poultry and egg

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a draft guidance document to help producers and distributors of meat, poultry and egg products comply with U.S. regulatory requirements.

Issued in early July, the draft guidance provides detailed information on most aspects of import requirements applicable to these products, including documentation, labelling and marking, as well as FSIS protocols for the sampling, inspection and testing of food imports. The draft guidance also provides information on how importers must address food products that have been denied entry for failure to comply with U.S. requirements.

Guidance documents issued by U.S. federal agencies do not have the force of law, but are intended to provide insight into an agency’s current thinking on a given subject. In that way, they can be useful in helping companies to meet applicable regulations and other requirements.

Comments on the FSIS draft guidance for importing meat, poultry and egg products can be submitted at www.regulations.gov. The deadline for filling comments is 60 days from the date the draft guidance was issued, or September 5, 2017.

The complete text of the FSIS draft guidance for importing meat, poultry and egg products into the U.S. is available here.